Takeshi Inomata & Sound Limited

Jazz drummer and bandleader Takeshi Inomata crafted an impressive discography throughout his career, but none quite matches the brilliance and intensity of Sounds of Sound Ltd, his 1970 album featuring his regular studio band, Sound Ltd. Released during a period when the distinctions between jazz, jazz-funk, and jazz-rock were increasingly blurred, the album seamlessly delivers infectious grooves, intricate solos, and uplifting musical motifs. This sense of speed, this sense of elation. The man who knows no end, Takeshi Inomata, breaks through the limits of groove with his ever-changing stick work.

Another masterpiece released by Takeshi Inomata, a great drummer who has always kept his eye on the times and opened up new horizons, during the golden age of jazz rock. It is a so-called instructional record produced as one of the "Method" series, but its musicality is fiercely funky and groovy, as if provoking the listener. Leading the famous group Sound Limited, which played a part in the development of jazz rock in Japan, he breaks through the limits of groove with his ever-changing stick work. From cover songs such as "Runaway Child" and "Smack Water Jack" to "Sleeper" and "Seven Four" composed by his close friend Norio Maeda, who also participated in the arrangement, and the overwhelmingly powerful drum solo ""Drum Concert"", the diverse selection is filled with a flawless, high-density groove.

"With his young and talented Sound L.T.D., drummer Takeshi Inomata heralds the arrival of the golden age of jazz rock in high spirits. Inomata, who led the Japanese jazz scene with his precise stick work and musicality with an eye on the times, formed Sound L.T.D. at the end of the 1960s, influenced by the brass rock music that was flourishing at the time. He said: “I wanted to fuse jazz and rock and bring together young musicians to play music with vitality. I want this group to be a group with a large scale that is not confined to the small frame of modern jazz”. Their first album, “Sounds Of Sound L.T.D.”, released in 1970, became their masterpiece. It is full of energy and enthusiasm, starting with the “Theme-Mustache” tune, which has become one of the most beloved and iconic songs of the band. "

(Words by Yusuke Ogawa - Universounds)